Nonfreezing unit for automobiles



June 5, 1928.

c. l-LFULLER NONFREEZING UNIT FOR AUTOMOBILES ,lf'iled Dec. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 5, 1928.

C; H. FULLER NONFREEZING UNIT FOR AUTOMOBILES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1926 Patented June '5, 1928.

cmrronn K. roman, or cnrcnao, nrntora NONFBEEZING UNIT FOR AUTOIOIBIL'ES.

Application m'ea December 9, 192a. swarm. 153,543.

My invention relates to the cooling systems of internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a device for-preventing c the water contained in such' systems from 5 freezing. In operating a motor vehicle during cold weather, it is a well known fact that the motor does not function efliciently until its internal temperature has reached a certain point, also that if the vehicle is allowed to stand for any great length of time during freezing weather, the water in the radiator and water jacket will freeze and cause considerable trouble. I I f The principal object of my invention is to provide a device whereby the water from the cooling system may be automatically drained therefrom when the motor ceases to function and bestored in a compartment which is so designed as-to conserve in the water and thus prevent its freezing. v A further object of my invention is to so construct the device that it may be used when desired and disconnected from the cooling system at other times, as it is evifrom the following descr ption and from the accompanying drawings in hich: Fig. 1 1s a fragmentary si e view of an automobile, certainparts having been broken away in order to show my invention installed thereon. Y 1 1 Fig. 2, a cross-sectional View of a preferred embodiment of my. invention, taken on line 2-2 on Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale, and

Fig. 3, a fragmentary view, taken approximately on line 3-3 on Fig. 2, showing a method of securing the insulating material.

. Referring now more in detail to the drawings, 5 represents an automobile having a motor 6 and a radiator 7. p A water jacket 8 surrounds and forms a part of motor 6 and is provided with an outletand inlet whereby it-:- may be connected to the radiator in the 1 usual manner.

My device consists primarlly of a tank 9,.

i the top of the side walls.

'ing

the heat contained dent that such a device is unnecessary dur- 1 down-the sides, and radially 1 1 8, and the placed which engages the top of a pump 10, a feed conduit 11, connecting pump 10'to water jacket8, a return'conduit 12, connecting the bottom'of radiator? to tank 9, an overflow conduit 13, and a a drain 14. r

The tank 9 has an inner shell which-is preferably made of copper or other ductile material and is cylindrical in shape witha fiat top 15 and ,a downwardly and inwardly 06 sloping bottom 16. The top 15 has an aperture 17 surrounded by a flange 18 "which ex-..

tends upwardly and is preferably integral with the top 15. I have shown the inner shell as having the side and bottom walls integral and the .top .15 flanged to fit over The inner shell may be made in any suitable manner, it be-' understood that all seams or joints are suitably brazed or soldered so as to form an ll air-tight structure. The bottom wall 16 is j provided at its center with an aperture into which drain 14 is soldered or brazed, thus forming a t' ht tank, with the exception of aperture 17, which is closed in a manner to' be latendescribed. v

The inner shell is entirely covered with a layer of wool felt,'or other suitable heat insulating'materia which isheld in; place by means of a series of straps 19 extending radially from the flange 18 across the top, inward across the bottom to a point adjacent the drain .14. The upper ends of the straps 19 are held in place b'ya ri lowerends by a ring 21, which" encircles the drain 14. A woodenring 22 is p on the ring 20 and an internally threaded bushing 23 inserted inside the flange 18 andpbrazed in place. The bushing, 23 has a horizolitally extending flange 24 ring 22 and holds same securely in place, together with the, ring 20 and the ends of straps 19.

A series of wooden blocks'25, cut'to form a circle, are placed against ring 21 and a series of other blocks;26 are placed against the straps 19 at spaced intervals around the bottom of the tank. A series of wooden hoops 27 are placed around the shell so as to hold the straps 19 and the insulating material thereunder firmly in place and a series of blocks 28 placed against the straps on the top of the shell. An outer shell 29, made of sheet metal, surrounds the wooden blocks and hoops and is soldered to drain 14 and to flange 24 so that a chamber 1s formed beit 20, which encircles the'fla'nge a0 tween the outer and inner shells, from which end of conduit 13. A pump shift 34, adaptied to actuate pump 10,extends through a stufling box located in the center of the bushing 30.

-.The lower end of feed line lldepends into tank 9 to a point nearits bottom where it is connected to pump 10, a short distance above which a check valve 36 is let into the conduit. A drain hole 37 is located in the conduit just above valve 36. The other end.

of feed line 11 is threaded into the bottom of water jacket 8 and is rovided with a valve 38 for governing the ow of water from the pump to the'water jacket.-

The other'end of conduit 13 is-connected into a special fitting located in the regular connection between the top of the radiator and the top of the waterjacket. The function of this line isto return water to the tank 9 in case water is pumped through feed con duit 11- faster than it can flow throughthe radiator.

Return line 12 has one end connected to the bottom of the radiator and the other end i to the side of tank 9 in any suitable manner. A valve 39 is located in the. return line 12 for the purpose. of regulating the flow of water from the radiator to the tank, so that the radiator will always remain full of water. This line is preferably insulated its entire length. A branch 40 connects line 12 with the water jacketand is provided with a valve 41 so that water may be allowed to flow through the branch when so desired, but it is understood that this valve is closed. when the device is in use.

Pump 10 may be actuated by mechanically.

connecting shaft 34 with an electric motor suitably in Fig. 1, or by mechanically connecting it to a shaft 42, as shown in Fig. 2, which in turn is mechanically connected to a moving part of the motor, such as the crankshaft or fan pulley. If operated by a motor, the circuit for furnishing electric current thereto is controlled by aswitch which may be operated independentl of or concurrently with the ignitioii switcl i. I

In installing thedevice on a motor vehicle, a tankis provided which will hold approximately two gallons more water than the water cooling system to which it is attached.

, due to both the heat of the mounted near the tank, as shown ,1

It being understood that the water in the" tank should not rise above the end of return conduit 12, as it is evident that a high- The tank may be filled by pouring the water through opening 32 or through the filler pipe on the radiator.

After the device has been installed and filled with water, the motor may be started in the usual manner, which will cause pump 10 to operate and pump water into the water jacket of the motor ter the water enters the water jacket, it rises, engine and to "the and passes from the top into,the top of the radiator where it is cooled and travels toward the bottom of the radiator from whence it is carried by return conduit 12 back into tank 9.

As soon as the water is in circulation valve 38 is adjusted to' regulate the velocity with which the water is furnished to the motor and then; valve 39 is regulated to slightly retard the return flow in order that the water in the radiator may be kept at the proper level. From this point on, no attention to the device is re uired, with the exception of occasionally ad 'n to'the water as is usual in the operation 0? motor vehicles.

When the motor is stopped, the water in action of the pump, of the water jacket the radiator will drain back through confjon duit-12, the water in the water jacket will drain back through conduit 11 and drain hole 37 through conduit 11. Af-' so that it is all contained in the tank 9 and thus protected against freezing when the vehicle is standing 1dle.

It is evident that with such adevice installed on a motor vehicle, the use of alcohol, glycerine or other non-fireezing mixtures is entirely unnecessary will function more efliciently due to the heat imparted from the water. v

and that the motor After the cold weatherhas passed, or at any other time when it tinue the use of the device, valves38 and 39 are closed and valve 41 opened. If the pump is motor driven, the switch controling such motor is left or if the pump is driven by means of the crankshaft or fan pulley, the mechanical connections aremoved out of connection therewith, so that the pump will not function. .After the device has been thus disconnected, the circulation of the water in the cooling system will operate in the. same manner as though the device had never been installed.

The branch 40 and conduit 11 have been shown as entering opposite ends of the water jacket, but it is understood that these pipes may. be connected at any suitable permanently open,

is desired to disconpoint, both being preferably connected .at the rear lower end of the water jacket. 1

While I have illustrated and described an embodiment of my invention and the manner in which it may be put into practical use, it will be readily understood that various modifications and applications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and hence, limit myself to the precise embodiment set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Let ters Patent is-- 1. A device of the class described including a tank having an opening in its top and a drain in its bottom, a layer of heat insu-.

lating material surrounding the tank, a sheath surrounding the insulating material and connected to the edges of the opening and to the drain, a bushing in the opening,

I do not wish to .ter therethrough,

through the bushing, a

a pipe depending means extending through pump on the pipe, the bushing for operating the pump, duit adapted to connect the pump pipe wi 11 the cooling system of an internal 'combustion engine, and a return conduit adapted to connect the said cooling system with the tank.

2. Iii-combination. with an internal combustion engine having a water jacket and a radiator, a'tank for holding water, a layer of heat insulating material around the tank, a protecting sheath enclosing the insulating material, a feed conduit between the Water jacket and the tank, a pump connected to the feed conduit, :1- return conduit between the radiator and the tank, valves in both conduits. adapted to regulate the flow of waa branch between the return conduit and the water'jacket, a valve in the branch, and means to actuate the pump.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- CLIFFORD H. FULLER.

a con- 

